Play Video In A Slider Widget From An S3 Hosted URL???

You can basically just add JW Player shortcode to your sidebar widget:

[jwplayer file=”something.mp4″]

The file would be the actual location of the file on your S3 account.

Dear JW Support,

1. Thanks for the reply.
2. This sounds reasonably do-able fop me, if you will instruct me, please.
3. Are you saying that, … I just add … jwplayer file=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/MyFileName/Test-2014-03-18-1-33-PM.mp4 … into where?
4. And are these [bracket symbols] to be included? front and back of the shortcode inside the brackets? Stated another way, are the brackets part of the whole function of the ‘shortcode’?
5. The ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ as I call it, is a component of the theme I am using. Do I need to find the where the code for the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ function is written within the theme via the WordPress ‘Editor’?
6. And then, am I to place your line of shortcode into the theme file via the ‘Editor’ within WordPress?
7. Where exactly does this line of shortcode get placed within the theme’s file?
8. Upon first examination, there is not a file that clearly delineates a ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ … have you any tips on where to hunt for the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ code within the theme files? Like where would I be likely to find the code for the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’?
9. I found where the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ code resides. I will need to know where exactly to put your ‘shortcode’ within that set of code in the theme file, a widget.php file, … please correct me if my understanding is in error.

Thanks much,
B

Dear JW Support,

1. Let me also say that, the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ only allows for, asks for, a URL.
2. If you are suggesting that I place ‘shortcode’ in the box where a URL should go, then I don’t think this will work; you know better than I.
3. I am of the understanding that, and I can only tell you what I suspect, bear in mind, I am a novice, … the JW Player has to be ’embedded’??? in the widget.php file, for the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ to recognize a video that I would be self-hosting via Amazon S3 Account.
4. You see, a YouTube video works just fine in the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ … but my own video, hosted by my Amazon S3 Account, having taken the URL from inside the ‘bucket’/file, will not play a video.
5. As I understand it, this is because the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ does not have a video player built into the widget, and/or, there is no video player built into the theme itself, in the overall grand scheme.

Thanks,
B

Dear JW Support,

1. Also wanted to state, to be clear, I am not working with a ‘page’ or a ‘post’ wherein you would put, or the JW Player Plugin would convert, what I entered into JW Player plugin, and then JW Player inserts shortcode on/in a page or a post.
2. I am working with a widget that is strictly a slider for use on the home page.
3. This widget only allows/asks for, a URL, … so again I posit the question, will your plugin work for this scenario? And, …
4. Please tell me how this will work.

Thanks,
B

Dear JW Support,

1. I researched this thread on the JW Support Forums and this sounds like my situation … https://www.longtailvideo.com/support/forums/jw-player/setup-issues-and-embedding/26741/how-to-embed-jw-player-in-wordpress-sliders/.
2. If you diagnose and determine that this is my situation, … then please point me to where I can see how to do this.

Thanks,
B

What is the url for your file on s3?

Hi,

Here you go … https://s3.amazonaws.com/FCMTestBucket/TodayTest-2014-03-18-1-33-PM.mp4 …

Thanks,
B

Dear JW Player Support,

From the support thread that I cited above … Ethan wrote … “Np. It isn’t that simple, I’m afraid. You will have to use manual jwplayer embed code here it seems, and it won’t be connected to your player config on the wp plugin.”

I would be willing to opt for doing a manual embed of the code, if you can supply me with the code or point me to the how to/tutorial on doing it.

Can’t wait to hear your diagnosis of this case.

Thanks,
B

In the WP admin, there should be a way to add anything to a sidebar item, so you should be able to add simply just:

[jwplayer file=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/FCMTestBucket/TodayTest-2014-03-18-1-33-PM.mp4″%5D to your new widget item.

That comment is about adding the player into a theme.

Dear JW Player Support,

1. Ok, I believe you …
2. When you say, … “in the WP Admin” … to where exactly, to what exactly, are you referring???
3. What left margin tab/menu option, am I to access???
4. For example, … Portfolio | Appearance | Plugins | Users | Tools | Settings … etcetera, where are you telling me to find … WP Admin?? … where does it say specifically … “WP Admin”???
5. Are you saying to add this shortcode … [jwplayer file=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/FCMTestBucket/TodayTest-2014-03-18-1-33-PM.mp4″%5D … into, for instance, … a random Text Widget??? And I am only ascertaining/guessing that this is what you mean, from having read other related support posts.
6. I think you are telling me to go to Appearance > Widgets > Text … and then paste in this shortcode snippet you game me. Yep, I think that’s what you were telling me. And yes, that did, in fact play the video in a simple Text Widget. To any other reader, I have the JW Player WP Plugin installed, which I am thinking is why this shortcode snippet is working.
7. Here’s the deal … that IS NOT what I am looking to do.
8. The theme I am using has a ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ … this widget is only for the Home Page … IT ONLY TAKES A URL … you are giving me a shortcode string, … which I cannot put in the box, because it wants a URL.
9. I tested the shortcode string, just to be sure, because who knows, who’da thunk that that shortcode would work in a random, basic, Text Widget in WP???
10. And, in the ‘Home Page Slider Widget’ … using the shortcode string you gave me, … the video does not play.
11. I suggest that we are back to embedding the JW Player in the theme itself, … in the widget.php file of the theme. Is that where it goes if this is what my situation is??? Again, I am novice, and I yield to your wisdom, I know that I do not know, fully, however, I am not without some comprehension.
12. It cannot go without saying … I greatly appreciate your attention, and time, … thank you x 3 and then some.

Thanks,
B

Yes, I mean a random text widget, that works. I am not sure about the theme you are using though. That widget that comes with the theme does not look to support shortcode.

FINAL OUTCOME & SUMMARY:

1. I have a theme that I adore, it has a home page slider widget built in, that will play video, but, only video hosted by YouTube or Vimeo.
2. I want greater control over how the video is played and I do not wish to deliver a prospective client to the mega-huge distraction and environment that is YouTube, nor do I wish to deliver them to my competition.
3. The problem here is that the WP theme will not support/allow the use of a URL directly from an Amazon S3 account, I am guessing that the home page slider widget has no pathway/code/language to tell it to use a video player, because no video player is resident in the theme itself, … also the shortcode language/string will not work in the home page slider widget either … meaning the [jwplayer file=”xxx.mp4″] code/string, …
4. And telling the theme to use a certain video player would require embedding a video player within the theme, which is a much more advanced undertaking.
5. In this case, what is working, is a simple WP Text Widget, with the use of simple shortcode … [jwplayer file=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/MyFileBucket/TodayTest-2014-03-18-1-33-PM-File.mp4″%5D … the brackets are part of the ‘shortcode’ string that you will use in a page/post/simple text widget, etcetera.
6. This is a workaround. Using a simple text widget defeats the features of the theme and its very nice built-in, five-slider widget, a total bummer. This issue is causing me to NOT be able to use my true/default home page with all its features, namely, the home page slider widget, and the home page border bar, and other widgets that sit on the home page bottom left and the home page bottom right.
7. I spent a day looking for other free themes, as I need to try before I buy the theme, since the needs are specific, … very few video-centric free working themes are out there, at this time, ones that will support an Amazon S3 hosted video.
8. In the end, I opted to stay with my current theme, create a new, ‘default’ page setting home page, that means a home page that is really just another ‘new page’ and get over the loss of, and access to, my home page widgets.
9. To replace the feature of the slider, I tried out six to eight different slider plugins, joy, what a hassle, … the best fit, in my case, was Cyclone Slider 2.
10. In summation, to answer the original question posed, … “With this plugin, would I be able to play a video that is hosted in an Amazon S3 Account, by copy/pasting the URL link from within the S3 bucket/account/file, into the home page slider widget, that requests a URL?” … the answer is NO, you will not be able to play the video on your home page, inside of your home page slider widget, because your home page slider widget does not have code/language/video player function built-in to be able, to play a video hosted by an Amazon S3 Account.
11. But you can situate your video in a simple text widget, BUT, the simple text widget where the video is functional, does not behave well on the home page, and in fact, there is no control over where the simple text widget sits on the home page, (it sits at the left margin), and if it at least, would sit in the center, I might be able to limp along, and settle, but it doesn’t.
12. The best workaround is, making a random new page/home page and arranging the modular components and structure of the page, using the features that will work in the environment.
13. Yes, JW Player is playing the video, not where, and in exactly the place, and widget that I wanted, but the video is playing.
14. Thank you very much JW Player for all of your tedious, time-consuming attention, to my quirky little issues, it is so very recognized and appreciated.
15. This ticket is now closed.

Thanks,
B

Np